In my lab, we study the communication between dopamine neurons and other cell types in the context of motivated behavior and dopamine-related diseases. Dopamine-producing neurons in the ventral part of the midbrain are necessary for reward learning and voluntary movement. A better understanding of how single neurons in the brain age will also inform treatment options in the very earliest stages of diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, before symptoms become debilitating. In the clinic, these disorders have poor treatment options, in part because we lack a basic understanding of how the relevant neurocircuitry is modulated. In my lab, we explore dopamine neurons at the cellular, circuit, and systems level.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second-most diagnosed neurodegenerative disorder, but current treatments target symptoms rather than disease progression. To develop strategies for halting progression, we must first understand adaptations in the prodromal period of the disease. By using progressive mouse models of PD, we identify the alterations in dopamine signaling that occur before the appearance of debilitating symptoms.

A second project investigates dopamine neuron physiology and drug-related behavior. Abuse of drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine is a huge public health issue, but despite decades of research, there are frustratingly no FDA-approved medications to treat psychostimulant addiction. While these drugs are known to increase extracellular dopamine levels, large gaps remain in our knowledge of chronic circuit adaptations that contribute to increased drug use and addiction. Our lab uses a combination of electrophysiology, optogenetics, and behavior to explore the complex relationship between dopamine neuron excitability and drug use.

Finally, we investigate the effects of normal aging on single dopamine neurons. Bradykinesia is a hallmark of old age, but little is currently known about how aging affects the specific ion channels and circuits that are responsible for dopamine neuron function. We have developed reliable methodology for making electrophysiological recordings in brain slices from mice of advanced age, and are investigating the effects of aging on dopamine neurons.

My Publications  Lab Website